In Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, they approved the anti-sexual harassment policy for the public service. According to a release, this policy includes "scope of application, definition of sexual harassment in the workplace, a complaints mechanism and internal resolution process, and disciplinary action."
This comes after the implementation of the anti-sexual harassment act of 2024. According to the Executive Director of the National Women's Commission - which championed the legislation - there was a one year grace period given to implement policies in the workplace, and they're glad the public service has now finalized the policy. She spoke to us via Zoom.
Eleanor Murillo, Executive Director, National Women's Commission
"In 2024 the new anti-sexual harassment act was passed and so a part of that legislation asks every work place in both private and public sphere that they should have a sexual harassment policy and a zero tolerance for any form of sexual harassment and other violence within the workplace and so that law really a big chunk of it speaks to protecting anyone, anybody who is working or has any business to do with any of these spaces that they're protected and free from any form of sexual harassment."
"After that everybody was expected then to have, I think the law talks about a year to put in their anti sexual harassment policy in place. So we're very happy that the public service now has an anti sexual harassment policy in line with the new legislation."
"It gives the definition of what is sexual harassment so it's any unwanted conduct of a sexual nature. so it could be physical whether it's touching and whatever else or it can be mental, emotional, psychological, telling you words, maybe you were in a relationship, sharing your pictures, circulating any kind of unwanted images so it does not have to be about you, it could be in this new age of technology, people are always sharing videos and pictures so it's any unwelcome or unwanted conduct of a sexual nature."
"This one is for the entire public service and so it guides everything within the public service, now the private sector, yes, organizations institutions over the past year or two we have been doing a lot of training with some education tertiary level institution as well for them to put in their sexual harassment policy so it is known that it's needed in every work space both public and private."
"We do hope because it does call for a lot of education, it cannot be that we have all these strong laws and policies and people don't know about it and so it's for the education and getting the buy in from everyone to understand this is your right, sexual harassment is a form of gender based violence, it's against the laws and you have a right to be protected."
